Men's Hockey

Merrimack Releases 2018-19 Men’s Hockey Schedule

Merrimack released its 2018-19 men’s hockey schedule on Thursday. Below is a release from the athletic department, highlighting a schedule that includes home games against Denver and Colorado College as well as a road game at Michigan …

Highlighted by 17 home games at Lawler Rink – including a matchup against the 2017 national champions – as well as a road trip to one of last year’s NCAA Frozen Four participants, the Merrimack College Athletic Department and head coach Scott Borekare pleased to announce the men’s ice hockey team’s 2018-19 schedule.

The Warriors’ 34-game slate includes an even split of 17 in North Andover and 17 road matchups, with 24 of those contests scheduled against Hockey East opponents. Of Merrimack’s 10 non-conference contests, five will be at home, featuring the first-ever visits by Denver – the 2017 national champion – and Colorado College, as well as Lake Superior State (2) and Holy Cross.

Merrimack will head to Ann Arbor to highlight its five non-conference road games in January to battle perennial power and 2018 Frozen Four qualifier Michigan. The Warriors will also make the trek to Minnesota for a two-game set against Bemidji State in early November while also playing a weekend regional swing against a pair of Atlantic Hockey Association foes in Army West Point and Bentley.

“We are excited about the very challenging schedule,” Borek said. “More importantly, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring in some truly special opponents to Lawler Rink, both in the traditional sense of our league schedule, as well as with some of the top out-of-conference programs in the country.”

The Warriors will once again have one of the toughest schedules in the country, with five NCAA Tournament qualifiers from a year ago featured on their schedule: in addition to Denver and Michigan, Merrimack will face three Hockey East schools who competed in last year’s national tournament in Boston University, Northeastern and Providence.

Merrimack will once again play each of the other 10 conference schools at least two times, and the Warriors will play three games against Boston University, Massachusetts, Northeastern and Providence. Every conference team except Vermont will visit Lawler Rink at least once this season.

All home game start times are tentatively set for 7 p.m. with the exception of the Oct. 7 Lake Superior State matchup (4 p.m.), the Black Friday showdown against Holy Cross (4 p.m.), the New Year’s Eve affair versus Colorado College (4 p.m.), and the Saturday, Jan. 18 battle with New Hampshire (7:30 p.m.).

Away game times will be posted once confirmed by the opposing school. All dates and times are subject to change, and games that are selected to be televised – which will be announced at a later date – could alter start times, as well.

2018-19 Men’s Ice Hockey Ticket Timeline

July 10 – New Season Tickets On Sale!

August 7 – Mack Packs On Sale

August 14 – Luxury Suites On Sale

August 28 – Promotional Schedule Unveiled

September 6 – Single-Game Tickets On Sale!

Pricing information regarding 2018-19 season ticket plans will be announced shortly. For more information on season ticket and Blue Line Club plans/benefits, please click here!

Schedule Highlights

Merrimack will open its season at home against Lake Superior State (Oct. 6-7), welcoming the Lakers to Lawler Rink for the first time. The two teams last met in the 1988 NCAA Championship’s quarterfinal round.

Following a two-game road swing at Bentley and Army West Point, the Warriors return home to open their conference schedule against last year’s defending league champions, Boston University, on Oct. 20.

Merrimack will host UMass on Saturday, Oct. 27, as part of a home-and-home series on Homecoming Weekend.

November will see the Warriors travel to Minnesota for a two-game set with Bemidji State (Nov. 9-10). Additionally, Merrimack’s league schedule for the month includes Boston College (Nov. 2-3), Providence (Nov. 16-17) and Northeastern (Nov. 30), as well as a Black Friday matchup at home against Holy Cross (Nov. 23).

All four games in December will be at Lawler Rink, as the Warriors close out the first half against Providence and Northeastern (Dec. 7-8) and then open the second half with Denver (Dec. 28) and Colorado College (Dec. 31 – 4 p.m.).

January starts with three straight road games at New Hampshire and Northeastern (Jan. 4-5) before a Tuesday tilt at Michigan (Jan. 8), as the Warriors make their third-ever trip to Yost Ice Arena and first since 2005.

From there on out, Merrimack will play exclusively against Hockey East schools, with home games scheduled against UConn (Jan. 12); New Hampshire (Jan. 18 – 7:30 p.m.); Maine (Feb. 15-16), UMass Lowell (Feb. 23) and UMass (Thursday, Feb. 28).

Of note among the final road games of the season: the Warriors will visit BU for a Monday matchup (Jan. 21) and head to Vermont twice (Jan. 25-26) before concluding the regular season at BU on March 2.

About Mike McMahon

Mike McMahon is in his 13th year covering Merrimack College for The Eagle Tribune and is the founder and managing editor of The Mack Report. Mike also serves on staff as a senior writer at College Hockey News. Follow him on Twitter @MikeMcMahonCHN